"So… can we address the elephant in the room?"
After the shock and self-loathing of my decision wore off, I started to realize how… oddly personal the situation was.
"This world doesn't have elephants, but I know what they are."
"That's not the point."
"Then say it."
Don't get snarky with me, Kandance.
"The fact that the Deity of Death just so happened to be playing a game that sounds oddly similar to one I played back on Earth, and that they decide to do a wager based on it? How does that even happen? And for that matter, how does something so similar exist here?"
"Why should I know? I don't monitor everything this world does."
Is it a universal constant or something that these types of games are able to exist in environments where an internet-like thing exists?
"I still wanna know why you accepted, anyway."
"... Heat of the moment. Plus, I don't think I could handle seeing you in so much pain for that long."
Both of those are true. Not like it invalidates being able to do the other possible options, but I feel like I should spend more time practicing this game to be sure I don't lose that wager.
"Why pick this, anyway?"
"Probably because it's something neither of you can cheat at with your powers, even though you don't have full access to them right now. Anyone can win or lose in a game with fair rules, be they mortal, Deity, or even God."
Since when did she get so introspective, anyway?
"Since when did you get so introspective, anyway?"
Ah great, I'm speaking my mind.
"I'm… not sure. Perhaps the shock of realizing that even my old Goddess self was vulnerable to some sort of manipulation is… making me think more."
"That or your emotions are out of whack. Or you're a loony."
"S-shut it."
Kandance turns away from me, only a small bit of steam coming from her head instead of the usual amount. I… think she's trying to be more considerate since I literally just put my role of God on the line for her sake. I hope she is, anyway, otherwise it'd be pretty awkward.
"So, can you give me a brief explanation of MMORPG?"
Yeah, guess she wouldn't know.
"Name stands for Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game. They have gameplay revolving around stats and abilities and it all takes place in a big, interconnected world with thousands of other people you can interact with."
"Huh. So it's like how you and I would view this world. Seeing everything with numbers and predefined values, handcrafted to feel alive. Like mortals playing God…"
I mean, I guess?
"In a cosmic sort of way, I guess so? But it's less playing God for the sake of it and more playing God to give everyone a new experience. Or to make money, in the case of some developers."
Not to mention I've heard of countless fictional stories about characters in a game becoming sentient, or someone being brought into the world of the game where all the NPCs have become sentient, or- I'm noticing a pattern here.
"So, what do you have to do to get ready?"
"Well, I need to download the game. Then I have to learn how to play, get through most of the content, probably get the best gear I can, master the role I'm going to play, and find three other people who have done the exact same thing for their roles, learn how to coordinate and work together, master that coordination, and then I MIGHT stand a chance against Deutralohs."
"... Well, good luck with that."
Yeah, I'm gonna fucking need it…
By the way, I'm installing the game onto the God Panel's MPC emulator. That way, I don't have to pay for extra nights here if I find somewhere cheaper. Then again, it's not like I've gone out of my way to look for a new lodging, but it never hurts to be careful.
While it's doing that, I'm gonna do some wiki diving. It's actually something I'm good at, since I can absorb information quickly. Even if I know nothing about a piece of media like a television show or game series, I can just go through a bunch of wikis and figure out whatever I need to know.
Magys Regal. Started development two decades ago, came out fifteen years later. Damn, it took them THAT long to make? You've had MPC tech for, I assume, around nine hundred years. And it takes you FIFTEEN to make an MMORPG? There better be a good reason…
… Oh, apparently the development was started by one person. Rawru of the Gaolras, runt of their litter and beginner coder. They eventually got an Anthras named Raan-Hurrs to help in coding, promoting the game, and putting out ads for employees.
Ya know, the fact that they employed people should mean that they had some way to pay them, right? I hope so, anyway.
There we go, side gigs and assistance on other people's stuff helped them get the money to pay employees and made the game take longer to develop. All my questions have available answers, that's why I love the internet. Or ManaNet, as it's called here.
… By the way, Kandance hasn't spoken up yet. Wonder why…
"Zzzzz…"
Nevermind, I hear her snoring behind the tab with the emulator. Moving on!
Super supportive fanbase on release, guessing at least five percent were toxic. Updates came out fast to address issues, base game cost and expansions helped to increase budget. Actually, how do online transactions work in this world? Are there Yehlgold bank accounts? Credit cards? ManaNet cash transfer services? Social credit score? I wonder…
Whatever, doesn't seem to matter. Point is, the game is currently a success and still is. Story's good, gameplay's good, graphics good, and so on and so forth to the heat death of the universe.
Oh hey, I think that game is done installing, lemme start it up.
… Right, I have to make a character for it, don't I?
… Damn it, here we go again!